Labour has strengthened its advantage over the Nationalist Party, opening up a 19,600-vote gap in the latest survey done by Times of Malta and maintaining a clear lead in the political landscape.The poll indicates that, if an election were held now, Labour would attract 51.3% of votes, compared to the PN’s 45%, giving the governing party a 6.3 percentage point edge. Smaller parties, including Momentum and ADPD, would share the remaining 3.7%.Compared to October 2025, Labour has inched forward from 50.1%, marking an increase of just over one percentage point. The PN, meanwhile, has seen virtually no movement, slipping by just 0.1%, while smaller parties have collectively lost just over one percentage point.In vote terms, Labour’s gains amount to roughly 5,000 additional votes since October, when the gap stood at 15,000. The current figures are broadly in line with a February 2025 survey that showed an 18,700-vote difference between the two main parties.The survey is based on a projected turnout of 84%, with 16% expected not to vote. Historically, turnout tends to rise closer to election day as parties intensify their campaigns. In 2022, turnout reached 85.6%.While Labour remains ahead, its current support is still below the 55.1% it secured in the 2022 general election, when it achieved a 39,000-vote victory. Although the PN has improved from its 41.7% result in that election, it still falls well short of closing the gap.Views on the government’s performance have improved slightly. Respondents gave it an average rating of 3.27 out of 5, up from 3.14 in October. More than 42% of participants awarded scores of four or five, compared to 38% previously and less than 30% in surveys conducted during 2023.Opinions remain deeply divided along party lines. Among those who voted PN in 2022, 62.4% rated the government poorly, giving it scores of one or two. Labour supporters are increasingly positive, with 77.2% expressing satisfaction, up from 65.4% in October.However, the government has made limited progress among those who did not vote in the last election. Within this group, 36% view its performance negatively, while only 16% hold a favourable opinion.Overall, the results suggest Labour is consolidating its support and modestly expanding its lead, while the PN continues to struggle to make meaningful gains. What do you make of these numbers?•